Stoics and Epicureans (The Audio Classics: the World of Philosophy)

The Stoics and Epicureans date from the Hellenistic period (323-31 BC), and both schools were heavily influenced by the philosophy of Socrates. For the Stoics, the goal of human life was to align one’s nature with the rational order of all things, as reflected in the three areas of philosophy: logic, physics, and ethics. Through practice of the dialectic, they stressed understanding, self-control, and virtue as the greatest human achievements. In sad or turbulent times, stoical endurance has appealed to many people as a way of coping.

The Epicureans also valued self-control and moderation, but they were suspicious of overly sophisticated intellectual debate. They relied on sense impressions to establish the known and concluded that life is simple and its truths easy to perceive. By rejecting worldly ambitions and pursuing quiet pleasures and lasting internal qualities such as wisdom, they sought to do no harm and achieve peace of mind. The conflict between these two powerful modes of thought remains with us today.

The World of Philosophy series is a dramatic presentation, in understandable language, of the concerns, questions, interests, and overall outlook of the world’s great philosophers and philosophical traditions. Special emphasis on clear and relevant explanations gives you a new arsenal of insights toward living a better life.